LONDON COUNCILS EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND BOROUGH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME 2016-2018

Construction Careers Application Prospectus 9th September 2016 Deadline for applications: 12 noon, 21st October 2016

www.londoncouncils.gov.uk Contents

01. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 3 The European Structural Investment Funds ................................................................. 3 ESF Investment Priorities ............................................................................................ 4

02. Project Specification ..................................................................................................... 6 Central London Forward – Construction Careers ......................................................... 6

03. Participant Target Groups ............................................................................................ 14 Core Project Requirements .......................................................................................... 15

04. Project activities, outputs and results ......................................................................... 17 Outputs and Results for payment .................................................................................. 18

05. Added value .................................................................................................................. 21

06. Partnership working ..................................................................................................... 22

07. Submitting an application ............................................................................................ 23

08. Horizontal Principles (Formerly Cross Cutting Themes) ............................................. 35

09. Monitoring and reporting on your project ................................................................... 39

10. Financial information .................................................................................................. 40

11. Publicity arrangements ............................................................................................... 41

12. Assessment process .................................................................................................... 42

13. Appeals ....................................................................................................................... 43

14. Payment arrangements ............................................................................................... 44

15. Contacts ....................................................................................................................... 45

16. ESF Programme Guidance Documents ...................................................................... 47

17. Introduction

Welcome to the prospectus for the London Councils European Social Fund (ESF) Programme 2016-2018.

London Councils’ ESF Borough programme is part of the European Structural and Investment funds (ESIF) Growth strategy(^1) for England in 2014-2020.

The European Structural Investment Funds

The European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs) are the European Union's main funding programmes for supporting growth and jobs across EU member states. They form a small but important part of the UK Government’s overall growth activity.

In England, for 2014 to 2020 the programmes consist of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF) and part of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). These have been brought together into a single Growth programme with individual operational programmes aligned to maximise support for jobs and growth.

The Growth Programme is delivered across England's 39 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) areas, each of which has an ESIF Strategy to support local delivery. The £6 billion funds within the Growth Programme have been notionally distributed to LEP areas. ERDF can fund activity such as support to SMEs, ICT, Low Carbon and research and innovation. ESF supports employment, skills and social inclusion.

The London 2014-2020 ESIF Strategy(^2) sets out the key areas for ESF investment in London and aligns to the London Enterprise Panel's (LEP’s) three skills and employment themes: promoting sustainable employment and progression outcomes, ensuring individuals and employers are better informed to drive the skills and employment system and engaging with London’s businesses to help drive growth in the Capital.

ESF in London is managed by the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) European Programmes Management Unit (EPMU) who has been designated by Government as an Intermediate Body for ESF and ERDF.

The LEP, through the GLA, London Councils and other local partners, have developed a range of ESF provision to meet local needs. A summary of the ESF provision that will be commissioned by the national Borough Employment Organisations during the first phase of 2014-2020 programme can be found here: [https://lep.london/publication/european-social-fund-proposed-opt-organisation-provision](https://lep.london/publication/european-social-fund-proposed-opt-organisation-provision).

There are five ESF Co-Financing Organisations for 2014-20 in London. They are:

- Greater London Authority
- Skills Funding Agency
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
- Big Lottery
- National Offender Management Service (NOMS)

______________________________________________________________________

(^1) [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/461596/ESF_Operational_Programme_2014\_-\_2020_V.01.pdf](https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/461596/ESF_Operational_Programme_2014_-_2020_V.01.pdf)

(^2) [https://lep.london/publication/european-funding-strategy-2014-20](https://lep.london/publication/european-funding-strategy-2014-20) ESF Investment Priorities

The 2014-2020 ESF Programme has two main Priority Axes, each with a number of Investment Priorities:

**Priority Axis 1 – Inclusive Labour Markets**

**Priority 1.1** **Access to Employment for Job-Seekers and Inactive People** - Improving the employability and skills of the unemployed and economically inactive people

**Priority 1.2** **Sustainable Integration of Young People** - Employment and Skills activities targeted at young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET

**Priority 1.3** **Youth Employment Initiative** - This will focus on helping young people, particularly those not in education, employment or training (NEET) to participate in the labour market and learning in areas eligible for the Youth Employment Initiative.

**Priority 1.4** **Active Inclusion** - To address the root causes of poverty which creates barriers to work so more people move closer or into employment

**Priority Axis 2 – Skills for Growth**

**Priority 2.1** **Enhancing Equal Access to Lifelong Learning**

**Priority 2.2** **Improving the Labour Market Relevance of Education and Training Systems**

For more details please see the 2014-20 Operational Programme at [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-social-fund-operational-programme-2014-to-2020](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-social-fund-operational-programme-2014-to-2020)

**The London Councils’ ESF Borough Employment Programme - Priority 1.1 – Access to Employment for Job-Seekers and Inactive People**

The London Councils ESF Borough Employment Programme 2016-18 will focus on delivering the strategic objectives of ESF Priority 1.1 – Access to employment for Job-Seekers and Inactive People.

This Programme will specifically fund projects that will assist individuals who are disadvantaged to tackle their barriers to work and sustainable employment. Such activities should include help to identify the barriers individuals face in moving into work (for example; confidence, lack of recent work experience, basic skills, job seeking and job-related skills, or other material barriers like debt) and working with them to tackle these barriers.

For this Programme, London Councils and the participating Central London boroughs of Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Wandsworth, Westminster and the City of London Corporation, welcome applications for grants from organisations and partnerships to deliver projects strategically aligned with ESF Priority 1.1 and can show links with other programmes supporting these Priorities. The projects should be innovative and add value to the mainstream provision.

The Programme will focus on people that are economically inactive and long term unemployed. In this way, the London Councils ESF Borough Employment Programme 2016-2018 can help the London boroughs contribute towards national indicator targets for employment and poverty by targeting workless people.

This Prospectus sets out the borough specific projects as well as the criteria and conditions for potential providers applying for this grant funding.

Projects will be funded between the dates specified on each individual specification. Please note that projects will start no earlier than 14th November 2016 and end no later than 31st December 2018.

Please note the following:

It is intended that projects funded under this prospectus will be funded 50% by the participating London local authorities and 50% from a grant of European Social Fund (ESF) from the GLA to London Councils. At the date of launch of this prospectus, London Councils has received final approval in principle for its ESF funding from the GLA. No award has been made, although exchange of agreements is under way.

Any award under the prospectus is therefore contingent upon that agreement being signed. Therefore, any application submitted in respect of this is made at the applicant’s own risk, and all costs and expenses that applicants incur in making their application are their own responsibility, and for the avoidance of doubt applicants acknowledge that in making their application any costs or expenses incurred by them are not recoverable from London Councils, the GLA or Her Majesty’s Government. 2. Project Specification

Central London Forward – Construction Careers

ABOUT CENTRAL LONDON FORWARD

Central London Forward (CLF) is the strategic sub-regional partnership of the eight Central London local authorities of Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Wandsworth, Westminster and the City of London Corporation. Established in 2007, it was created to champion the strategic interests of Central London’s residents and businesses as well as to provide a platform for public policy experimentation and collaboration.

Fig 1. Unemployment and Economic Inactivity in the Central London Forward sub-region

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Construction is a cyclical industry and as the wider economy has recovered construction has begun to rebound strongly. Across the UK total output is now close to its 2008 level and the number of jobs in the industry has reached 2.1m nationally, nearly 100,000 more than two years ago and at levels not seen before summer 2010.3

Central London is at the centre of this upturn and construction activity across central London represents one of the largest areas of economic regeneration activity in Europe, including but not limited to the following key sites:

- The Nine Elms Vauxhall (NEV) development alone will create 22,000 construction jobs and include a combined on-site workforce of 5,000 between 2015 and 2021 and a peak of 8,500 in 2016
- The Elephant & Castle regeneration is estimated to create c. 1,080 FTE jobs in construction during the 13 year demolition and construction programme

3 CITB Construction 2030 and Beyond Kings Cross Central construction employment will see a peak workforce of c. 4,500 in Summer 2016 Additional construction developments in Westminster/Victoria, New Fetter Lane, Broadgate and Fenchurch Street (City of London) will further boost this activity within the CLF area

Yet often local people have found it difficult to benefit from this activity and find work in the construction sector, despite higher levels of worklessness in central London boroughs. In part this is due to many local unemployed people not possessing the skills, work experience or relevant licences to practice in order to make a construction career a reality. The scale and range of opportunities available is not widely known to unemployed people in these local communities and the opportunities in the sector are not therefore widely recognised as an attractive employment proposition, leading to low interest, engagement and take-up of the range of opportunities available.

Employers suggest the mainstream education and training investment has failed to respond to business needs, either because of the focus on full qualifications which are often inflexible or unresponsive to employer demand or a qualification framework that rapidly becomes outdated as working practices and methods change. As a result the sector itself continues to evidence high instances of skills mismatches with many of the key skills necessary to undertake modern construction jobs either in short supply locally or not currently delivered by public funded provision within the London area. Unfilled vacancy rates remain high in some areas despite local commitments from developers to draw on local labour where possible (through section 106 agreements) and only 27%(^4) of the Central London labour force has Central London as their place of usual residence. This has necessitated employers in London drawing in labour from outside of its immediate or city-wide labour pool to meet their labour requirements with 73%(^5) of the labour force drawn from outside the Central London area.

In response Central London Forward, in partnership with key developers, construction industry employers and London First have developed a demand led ‘proof of concept’ pilot programme. The pilot aims to demonstrate the benefits of a more nimble, industry appropriate response to improve the employment and training infrastructure in the construction sector in Central London. Therefore the pilot will:

1. Improve the delivery of Section 106 commitments in the CLF’s boroughs by utilising a new sub-regional system that aims to improve the understanding and forecasting of future construction skills needs.
2. Enable local people to benefit from these opportunities by equipping them with the skills and support to find and sustain work in the construction sector; and

Through this partnership we have analysed current provision availability and suitability, with the aim of developing an approach to meet the high-volume recruitment and skills needs identified in partnership with the employers and businesses delivering these key large-scale developments. It will also seek to meet the recruitment needs, where appropriate, of key future infrastructure developments.

(^4) GLA Intelligence – Trends in the demand for labour and skills in London and the Central Sub-Region (^5) GLA Intelligence – Trends in the demand for labour and skills in London and the Central Sub-Region PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Construction Careers programme will run for two years from November 2016 and has a funding value of £1,850,000. We wish to commission a delivery provider or consortium to work with a minimum of 1,000 long term unemployed or economically inactive individuals in the Central London Forward boroughs. The primary performance objective is to equip individuals with the skills and support which will enable them to find sustainable construction jobs or wider associated opportunities on construction sites (eg. site management, admin or security roles) in the participating boroughs. Central London Forward will provide the match funding and strategic management and oversight of the programme that will be commissioned and performance-managed on a day-to-day basis by London Councils.

The programme will deliver cross-borough Construction Careers brokerage support, combined with and supported by short-course, construction orientated pre-employment preparation, and will also deliver industry and occupation-specific cards and ‘tickets’. It will deliver access to construction opportunities across CLF borough boundaries so that the construction employment and training opportunities that cannot be filled at a local borough-level are made available across CLF.

The Construction Careers programme will be further supported by a separate Construction Careers Forecasting and Management Database that will enable boroughs, providers and the wider construction sector to collaborate to better understand central London construction trends and pool local opportunities. This will be commissioned and delivered separately but will form part of the intelligence to help deliver better outcomes for our residents.

All applicants are required to complete a short series of gateway questions in order to determine their eligibility for funding. See Annex A. These will appear as the first stage of the application process once you have created an account. See below for details.

if an application does not satisfy these questions, it will be considered ineligible. In such cases, the application and its annexes will not be scored.

Applicants are required to complete the attached Application Form. The form contains questions and the maximum scores allocated to questions is set out in the form. Applications will be assessed using the applicants scores.

Applications will be assessed against Quality and Performance Framework & Value for money. Specifically, 60% of the overall application assessment will look at the overall quality of your proposed intervention, including an understanding of the barriers facing local people to find work in the construction sector and approaches to overcome these, a comprehensive customer journey including extensive outreach activity, engagement and appropriate employment support including in-work support, sophisticated understanding of the construction sector including local opportunities and skills needs and an extensive employer engagement strategy. 40% of the overall application assessment will look at the performance framework and value for money.

The relative weighting for the assessment of applications will be:

| Topic | Weighting | |-------|-----------|

6 ESF Definitions can be found in the Core Project Requirements Section Quality:

- Of the proposed intervention, including an understanding of the barriers facing local people, who are long term unemployed or economically inactive, to find work in the construction sector and approaches to overcome these. (Questions C1a, C1b, C5a, C5b, in the Application Form)

In particular, there should be convincing rationale for why these interventions will drive successful outcomes for the Construction Careers' Programme.

- Project Management – including management of delivery partners (Questions C6a, C6b, C6c, C6d, C7a, and C7b in the Application Form)

Performance Framework & Value for Money – The proposed output and outcome targets offered in the provider's application against the 3 key metrics and their related costs (Questions C2a, C2b, C3, C4, D1 and D2 in the Application Form):

- Participant and employer engagement
- Job outcome and
- Sustained job outcome

Questions C7 in the Application Form relate specifically to how your project will have a wider impact on the programme's cross cutting themes of Equalities & Social Inclusion and Sustainable Development. Please note that your application will be assessed against these criteria.

With regards to the performance framework and price, we have intentionally left the outputs and outcomes open in order to invite proposals and offers against our key metrics, Participants and employer engagement, Job outcome and sustained job outcome, within the total funding envelope. As a minimum, we are looking to work with at least 1,000 people over the programme period and are inviting providers to construct a performance offer in terms of jobs and sustained jobs for this group as part of the proposal.

We know that a key area to address is the low attraction and take-up of construction jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities across the CLF area. A substantial marketing, outreach and engagement campaign, as well as thorough pre-employment preparation will therefore be essential features of the programme, to sell the industry, attract candidates and address a known low skills base (including delivering soft skills, employability skills) across all of the CLF boroughs to achieve the required outcomes.

The successful provider will therefore be required to deliver this initial profile raising, outreach and engagement as well as delivering an end to end customer journey that addresses skills needs, provides any necessary work experience opportunities, places participants into work and provides any necessary post-employment support to ensure sustained employment outcomes. Where appropriate this can be in partnership with local borough and college provision.

The provider will be responsible for strategic employer engagement of developers and contractors, working across CLF on opportunities and training requirements, and will harness and add value to existing employer relationships held by boroughs. They will commission, design and deliver pre-employment support where required, including delivering competency tickets e.g. Abrasive Wheels, Traffic Marshall, Fire Warden tickets linked to job opportunities, and will work in partnership with boroughs to upskill, prepare and broker residents into construction sector jobs.

OVERVIEW OF MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

The following is a summary of envisaged minimum requirements but these are not prescriptive. It is up to the provider to set out the activity and make the case for how their approach will achieve the objectives and ambitions of the programme. Delivery activity should relate to Participant and Employer engagement, Job and Sustainment outcomes and should include:

Participant and Employer engagement

- **Marketing and outreach**

  - It is the provider’s responsibility to engage CLF borough residents on to the programme, therefore marketing and profile-raising of the sector along with outreach and engagement activity should be a major focus of the programme.
  - This may include advertising, press, media, employer-led recruitment sessions, recruitment fairs and open days, leaflet campaigns, estate and community engagement events, site events, construction roadshows.

- **Engagement and caseloading**

  - An intensive period of engagement, labour market IAG, job readiness assessment, rapport and relationship building, motivation and confidence building.
  - Caseload management, developing a caseload of candidates towards job readiness for known occupations and opportunities.
  - Client contact, overseeing employability and skills development, provision referrals & follow up, arranging drug and alcohol testing, job matching, brokerage and aftercare.

- **Pre-employment and skills preparation**

  - The provider will be responsible for developing and maintaining labour market knowledge of relevant construction skills provision across CLF and commission/deliver provision to fill gaps.
  - Commission or deliver short courses and industry cards and tickets which may include, but is not limited to: Hoist Operator Ticket, Slinger/Signaller (Banksman) Ticket, Crane/Lifting Supervisor, PASMA, Abrasive Wheels, Traffic Marshall, Fire Warden, MEWPs, Manual Handling, Working at Heights, Measurements and setting out, Reinforced Concrete and basic understanding, Working safely around plant and equipment, CSCS, SIA badge, Site supervision.
  - The Service Provider will be responsible for providing any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needed to enable clients to safely access training or work experience where PPE is a requirement.

Jobs outcome

- **Brokerage and job placement**

  - Deliver access to work experience placements, job interviews and employment opportunities, delivering interview preparation, practice and support and facilitating opportunities for extended interviews and work trials.
  - Match and screen participants effectively into the jobs that best meet the needs of participant and employer.
  - Work with JCPs as a source for participant recruitment.
  - and/or provide wider travel support as appropriate training support and job outcomes. Sustained Jobs Outcome

- **Post-employment support and tracking**

  - Participants should be tracked and monitored to maintain engagement throughout the programme.
  - In-work support should be provided as needed to ensure sustainment of employment, or self-employment for a minimum of 6 months.

**CLF AND BOROUGH PARTNERSHIPS**

We expect the Applicant and the boroughs to work together collaboratively and develop interventions taking into account local activity. We also wish to avoid, wherever possible, direct competition or duplication of employment support with other ESF provisions. (See Added Value Section for some examples other provisions for construction in London). The Applicant should also be flexible and responsive to new developments and opportunities with the potential to impact on the delivery of Construction Careers and should work closely with local services including:

- local borough construction skills and brokerage services
- generic local employability programmes and CLF programmes including Working Capital
- Jobcentre Plus programmes and services
- Work closely with local delivery programmes serving the construction sector utilising borough premises for delivery (e.g. Camden Construction Training Centre) where appropriate.

We further expect the provider to attend relevant working and steering group meetings and workshops to provide and receive feedback and input to the ongoing development and delivery of the programme to ensure it continuously meets the needs of CLF residents and construction sector employers.

**REQUIRED OUTCOMES AND OUTPUTS:**

**Outcomes**

- To provide a demand led proof-of-concept demonstration pilot, providing evidence to influence both the sector and local and national government, SFA and CITB towards delivering a nimble, responsive and industry-appropriate employment and training infrastructure, to better meet the needs of both the industry and Central Londoners

- To increase employment of the long term unemployed and economically inactive Central London residences in key developments across Central London.

- **A minimum of 1000 long-term unemployed and economically inactive residents from the 8 CLF boroughs engaged** on a construction industry employment pathway. The construction industry prepares land and constructs, alters and repairs buildings, structures and other real property. The introduction and minimum requirements sections give more specific examples of both the potential construction employment opportunities and the skills being developed for those opportunities. Recruitment will require an appropriate level of engagement with employers. Jobs may be construction jobs or wider associated opportunities in construction (e.g. site management, admin or security roles).

- **Participants in employment, including self-employment, within four weeks of leaving the programme** – participants gain construction sector employment (provider to offer number gaining employment). The overall London Councils target for this results indicator is 49%.

- **Participants in sustained employment, including self-employment, for 26 weeks out of 32 weeks of gaining employment** *(provider to offer number sustaining employment)*. The overall London Councils target for this results indicator is 62% of participants who gain employment sustaining employment.

- An evaluation of the project based on its outcomes at the end of the Programme.

**Outputs – to be captured and measured as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)**

- Economically inactive and long-term unemployed participants resident in Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Wandsworth, Westminster and the City of London Corporation supported with IAG, pre-employment preparation/employability skills, drug and alcohol testing, work experience, case loading, matching and screening to jobs and post-employment support

- Inactive and long-term unemployed participants resident achieve relevant construction industry cards and ‘tickets’ that enable take-up of specific sector jobs for which these tickets are an industry, occupational or sector requirement

- Support to businesses to recruit pre-prepared Central Londoners into employment across central London developments FUNDING AND PAYMENT MODEL

Payments for the Construction Careers programme will be on a payment by results/outcome payment model, weighted towards sustained job outcomes as the primary outcome-objective of the programme. The funding is therefore allocated against the following measures and service providers are asked to bid and provide evidence against the numbers of outcomes and quality of performance they propose to deliver against each of those 3 programme elements.

| Project Specification | Central London Forward | |-----------------------|------------------------| | Geographical Location | Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Wandsworth, Westminster and the City of London Corporation | | Output and outcomes | | | Number of Participants| Maximum Funding Available | Start and End Dates | | (min 1,000) | £600,000 | November 2016 – June 2018 | | Job outcome – Participants in employment, including self-employment, within four weeks of leaving project⁷ | Applicants to propose volumes | £600,000 | November 2016 – December 2018 | | Sustained job outcome – Participants sustained in employment for 26 weeks out of 32⁸ | Applicants to propose volumes | £650,000 | April 2017 – December 2018 | | Total | | £1,850,000 |

⁷ ESF definition ⁸ ESF definition Participant Target Groups

London Councils’ ESF Programme 2016-2018 will support the long-term unemployed and economically inactive individuals who are from the specific target groups outlined below. The Programme’s target groups and the relative percentage of starters for each target group are also listed (to the right):

- Economically Inactive: 65%
- Long-term unemployed: 35%

**ESF Target Groups**

- Women: 51%
- Older People (50 years and over): 18%
- Ethnic Minorities: 60%
- Disabled (self-declared): 22%
- Lone Parents: 16%

Your project will be expected to recruit starters from these target groups, and should strive to meet the percentages as shown in the tables above. Note: one individual may be in one or many of the target groups. Applicants will need to consider the appropriate level of childcare to be provided. London Councils expects all projects to provide childcare for participants as required in order to enable them to access this and other support provided on London Councils’ ESF programme.

Therefore when designing your project and writing the application, you should give careful consideration to which target groups you will be supporting, how you will reach and assist them into employment. Where you do not have experience in reaching and working with certain groups, your application must show an agreed partnership with a delivery partner with the required experience and outreach. If a potential participant is not from any target group, you will still be expected to assist them either directly or through signposting.

Where there are insufficient start volumes from the eligible target groups above and the Applicant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of London Councils that this is despite the Applicant’s concerted efforts, London Councils in agreement with the funding Borough may consider widening the eligibility criteria with respect to the employment status of participants.

Payment may be withheld if the agreed starters target groups percentages are not met.

Individuals who fit within the NEET target group (people aged 16-18 who are not in employment, education or training) are not eligible for the London Councils ESF Borough Employment Programme 2016-18. In effect, this means that all participants must be aged 19 or over. Core Project Requirements

Eligibility of participants and definitions

Economically inactive - "Inactive" are persons currently not part of the labour force (in the sense that they are not employed or unemployed according to the definitions provided).

Unemployed - Unemployed persons are usually without work, available for work and actively seeking work. Persons considered as registered unemployed according to national definitions are always included even if they do not fulfil all three of these criteria.

Long-term unemployed – Long-term unemployed persons are unemployed persons who are either:

- Youth long-term unemployed (\<25 years of age) = more than 6 months continuous spell of unemployment; or
- Adult long-term unemployed (25 years of age or more) = more than 12 months continuous spell of unemployment.

The target groups for this prospectus are long-term unemployed and the economically inactive. See above for detail.

Individuals who fit within the NEET target group (people aged 16-18 who are not in employment, education or training) are not eligible for the London Councils ESF Borough Employment Programme 2016-18. In effect, this means that all participants must be aged 19 or over.

Participants must also meet the following criteria:

- Live within the specified boroughs

  - Or where participants are homeless their registered Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) office or temporary/ sheltered accommodation is within the specified borough.

    Participants who engage onto the project, but then ‘move out’ of the specified borough may continue to be supported through the programme.

    (Individuals who live outside the specified borough(s) should be referred to other appropriate support services.)

- Have the right to work in the UK

- Participants should not be on another ESF funded employment programme where the claimable financial output/result is the same,

  - This includes ESF employment programmes delivered under the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Greater London Authority (GLA), London Councils and Skills Funding Agency.

- Are not already mandated on to the Work Programme. o Or are about to be mandated onto the Work Programme or Jobcentre Plus (JCP) approved provision, and the JCP advisor has not approved enrolment onto this programme as an exclusive alternative to the Work Programme.

To apply for this Funding, Applicants must be:

- **constituted**: Organisations funded by London Councils must have a constitution or governing document that is signed and dated, and defines how the organisation will operate. A governing document can be a formal constitution, a memorandum or articles of association.

  - Public or Local authority bodies can apply for grants, however the body bidding must be separate and have appropriate ethical walls from the body awarding the funding(^9).

- **able to deliver the work in all the boroughs listed in the project specification**:

- **Financially solvent**: Organisations funded by London Councils must not have liabilities that are more than their current assets.

- **Able to begin delivery of project activity from 14th November 2016**: Unless otherwise stated in the application.

(^9) London Councils will ensure that the scoring process will be open, transparent and fair and that ethical walls will be applied to the scoring and assessment of tenders. Project activities, outputs and results

London Councils ESF Borough Employment Programme 2016-2018 will support objectives under ESF Priority Axis 1– Inclusive Labour Markets delivering outputs and results for the Investment Priority 1.1.

As a result the Programme aims to improve access to employment for individuals who are far from the labour market, and need assistance to overcome barriers to work.

It will deliver seven ESF and Borough jointly funded projects, which aim to:

- improve the employability of the economically inactive and long term unemployed individuals so that they can compete effectively in the labour market
- provide tailored support for those with particular labour market disadvantage(s) (as detailed in Participant Target Groups section) to improve participants’ job readiness and sustainability in employment
- encourage inactive people to participate in the labour market and to improve their employability
- achieve the basic skills needs of the programme’s participants so that they can effectively compete in the labour market.

Within London, there are a number of programmes already providing support to the unemployed, economically inactive, and long term unemployed. In order to avoid duplication, London Councils and participating boroughs will fund projects that work with the specific target groups and geographical areas defined within the project specification (Section 2).

It is recognised that not all participants will be able to move directly into employment at the end of the project. However, where employment (including self-employment) is a realistic target for individual participants, this is the preferred outcome and this is reflected in the targets. Outputs and Results for payment

All payments on the London Councils ESF Borough Programme 2016-18 will be made based on the delivery of pre-specified outputs and results. There are a number of standardised outputs and results for delivery across all specifications. These are explained below.

However, it should be noted that some boroughs will also have specified outputs and results specific to their borough. For details of these and any unit costs associated with them, please consult each specification individually.

Standard Outputs

Participants receiving six or more hours of one-to-one support

There is no payment for enrolments. Instead, after an advance of 15%, the first payment a project receives will be made against participants who receive a minimum of six hours of support (IAG, job search, mentoring and/or training).

Providers therefore may enrol as many participants as they wish to or have capacity for, however they will only be paid up to the total amount allocated for each payable output. London Councils’ ESF Borough Employment Programme’s remit is to assist those furthest from the labour market and this means that for a successful intervention the majority of participants would need a minimum of six hours of support.

Please note:

- The six hours of support is a milestone which, when passed, allows the project to claim a payment. London Councils requires providers to respond appropriately to participants’ needs; those who need a longer intervention in order to secure success should be accommodated and supported effectively throughout.

- The six hours of support milestone will not include the time taken to register the participant and complete the enrolment form. Time spent doing the induction, needs assessments, action plans and giving information, advice and guidance may be counted. Class work or other group sessions may not be counted if the milestone has been specified as one-to-one sessions only.

- It is recognised that some participants who do not receive six hours of support may still benefit from the programme successfully. Therefore, an employment result may be claimed against any eligible participant, whether or not they have received six hours of support. Any participant for whom a result is claimed must have been enrolled and reported in accordance with London Councils ESF Programme procedures.

- London Councils expects all projects to provide childcare for participants as required in order to enable them to access this and other support provided on London Councils’ ESF programme. Immediate Results

Participants in employment, including self-employment within four weeks of leaving the Project

A payment will be made for economically inactive or unemployed participants who gain employment within four weeks of leaving the project.

‘Leaving the project’ in this instance marks the date that the participant left the ESF project, after this time no further ‘hours of support’ can be recorded against a paid outcome. However contact and support to participants is expected to be maintained for as long as the participant feels it is necessary and to ensure that the progression is maintained.

To claim this result, the employment must be for 8 or more hours each week, unless otherwise defined in the specifications. This may be working for an employer (where their National Insurance is paid directly from their wages) or in self-employment (where people generally pay their National Insurance themselves).

Confirmation of self-employment is required. A letter evidencing registration with HMRC, bank statement of a trading business account or registration with Companies House must be provided. For more information on ESF evidence requirements please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-structural-and-investment-funds-programme-guidance

Longer-term Results

Participant in sustained employment (including self-employment) for 26 out of 32 weeks

A further payment will be made for those participants who sustain their employment for a minimum of six months. All sustained employment results must be achieved by the dates stated within each borough’s project specification.

Employment does not necessarily need to be with the same employer for the whole period, but all employment must have clear evidence. It is possible that a participant can have breaks in their employment. However for each of the sustained result a minimum of 26 weeks of 32 weeks is required and must be achieved by the dates stated within each project specification.

Participant tracking and on-going support

Successful projects will be expected to maintain support and track participants on the programme.

Projects will need to explain within the grant document their methods and proposal for the support and tracking of participants and details of any in-work support or employer interventions they will deliver.

10 Employment outcomes can be claimed for participants that enter employment whilst receiving support from the project or within 4 weeks of their last intervention with the project. Leaving a project marks a stage in the participant’s progression and should not be a marker for the end of project support to the individual or employer. Results can only be claimed once participants leave the project.

**Submission of a final evaluation**

You will be responsible for commissioning an independent, external evaluation of the impact of the project, at the end of the project. You will be required to support and contribute to this assessment. Applicants must provide for the cost of the evaluation within the budget submitted as part of the application. The final project payment will be contingent on submission of the evaluation.

‘Soft’ outcomes

Recognising individuals’ personal achievements, or soft outcomes, is an important part of helping people towards finding suitable employment. These ‘soft outcomes’ include for example, helping people to acquire greater self-confidence in their potential or taking steps to overcome barriers to employment.

You will be expected to measure the ‘distance travelled’ by participants while on the project, based on prior assessment and recording of suitable steps. This may take the form of progress reports or self-assessment questionnaires. As mentioned you will be expected to compile a final evaluation on your project at project close, which will include an assessment of soft outcomes for participants. You should therefore ensure that you collect information on soft outcomes for each participant throughout the lifetime of the project. Organisations unfamiliar with the measurement of soft outcomes will be able to access support and guidance to develop such measures. Added value

London Councils and ESF wish to support projects that could not be delivered without its funding and which bring additional benefits to local provision and individuals. This is called ‘added value’.

Your project may provide added value because it increases the number of people who receive the support they need to move towards work, or, because it allows you to do more for people than would otherwise be permitted by other funding streams. Alternatively, this funding may allow you to continue existing activity which would otherwise be cut back or it may allow you to develop new activities or to fill a gap in provision.

Subject to the eligibility criteria in Section 3, organisations which receive a grant from any London Councils or ESF grants programme are welcome to apply for funding under this programme. However, your application should make very clear what additional activity, outputs or achievements you will deliver through this project. Organisations which have previously received a London Councils grant should note that, unlike other grants, the programme cannot fund general organisational costs, only those which relate solely to the cost of the ESF funded project.

ESF Employment Support Programmes

Where possible applicants are expected to work with other London ESF Programmes’ providers, some of which are managed by organisations such as:

- Big Lottery
- Skills Fund Agency
- Department for Work & Pensions
- Local Authority

Details of their provisions can be found at: https://lep.london/sites/default/files/20160523_Summary_of_ESF_Provision.pdf https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/global-content/programmes/england/building-better-opportunities/london

You must ensure there is no duplication of participants or activities with the above ESF programmes in London. 5. Partnership working

London Councils wishes to support effective partnership working in project delivery. In particular, we strongly advise delivery organisations to work with partners where complementary expertise is required to deliver a full package of support. For example, where specialist training outside of the provider’s core competencies is required, we would prefer that this provision be outsourced to an experienced specialist provider, rather than providers attempting to establish a new training resource.

You are also expected to form partnerships with other deliverers in order to recruit people from all target groups. You will be scored accordingly. So please take time to secure agreements with other providers – failure to not detail how all target groups will be recruited and assisted will mean your Bid may fail.

We expect that providers will have established, or be in the final stages of establishing, partnerships prior to submitting their application. All providers intending to work in formal partnership (i.e. where the Applicant, as lead partner, will be paying other partners) must submit partnership agreements with their tender which formalise roles and responsibilities within the partnership.

As a minimum, a partnership agreement should contain sections on:

- who the partners are
- roles and responsibilities of each partner
- the timescale for delivery
- equal opportunities (that the partner must ensure equality of opportunity in line with the lead partner’s equal opportunities policy and London Councils and ESF requirements)
- the other cross-cutting themes: sustainable development and health
- monitoring (including which information the partner is required to keep and how often they are expected to report to the lead partner)
- Risks/ mitigation/ contingency plans/ non-delivery/ dispute resolution
- Audit
- Management of partnership (e.g. steering group, partnership meetings)
- Due diligence check of partner organisations (are they solvent, eligible for London Councils funding)
- termination
- finance and payments (including how much money will be paid to the partner organisation by the lead organisation, what the money will cover)
- deadlines for reporting to the lead partner
- It is the lead partner's responsibility to ensure it holds all records relating to any aspect of delivery of the project (including those of partners) until December 2026. This is in line with ESF rules on document retention in ESF Programme Guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-structural-and-investment-funds-programme-guidance.
- Publicity Branding and publicity requirements for the 2014 to 2020 European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund

This type of agreement ensures that project delivery by project partners takes place as discussed and ensures that each partner is clear about what it needs to achieve as part of the project. Submitting an application

Gateway questions

All applicants are required to complete a short series of gateway questions in order to determine their eligibility for funding. See Annex A. These will appear as the first stage of the application process once you have created an account. See below for details.

If an application does not satisfy these questions, it will be considered ineligible. In such cases, the application and its annexes will not be scored.

Before you begin writing your application

The funded projects within the London Councils’ ESF Borough Employment Programme support the strategic objectives and priorities outlined in the London 2014-2020 ESIF Strategy and the ESF European Operational Programme 2014-2020.

As a result, there are certain conditions for this funding which are outlined in the previous and following sections. Please read this guidance carefully before completing the application and consult us (please see our contact details in Section 19) if anything is unclear.

If your organisation has previously applied for funding from London Councils, you are welcome to reapply in this round. However, please note that some changes have been made to the application form and to the process itself, as well as to the way in which London Councils will fund projects under this Round.

If you have any queries relating to the project specifications and how to apply, please contact one of the London Councils ESF officers. If you need further guidance or support in putting together your application, you may contact London Voluntary Service Council (LVSC). They are planning to run 1:1 surgeries and workshops. It may be necessary to make an appointment to speak to LVSC and applicants are treated on a first come first served basis. Applications for the London Councils ESF Borough Employment Programme 2016-2018 have to be submitted through an online application process:

https://www.grantrequest.com/SID_668/Default.asp?SA=SNA&FID=35068

Deadline for all applications: 12 noon, 21st October 2016

Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered for any reason.

Leave yourself enough time to complete, review and amend the information you provide, upload the required documents and submit your online form before the deadline. Deadline days are often busy and you may not be able to reach a member of London Councils staff if you have any technical queries with submitting the form.

All applications must be submitted through the online form and the Annexes provided on the Programme’s website, which, together with the prospectus, can be downloaded from here:

http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/grants/esf

The application form includes guidance for each section you need to complete and Annexes you need to upload.

Each scored sections will indicate the maximum available score. Please note that your application includes the completion of the Risk Register and Track Record. These are also scored as standalone sections. All other attachments are not scored separately; however, they will support some of the scored sections and will be considered during the assessment process.

The person scoring your application can only assess the information stated in your application. You must assume that they know nothing about your organisation, or the needs of your community, so be clear about what activities you are going to do and for whom. There will be no cross references of answers and each answer should be completed fully, as responses for any one question cannot be secured from an answer included for any other question.

Things to remember about your online form

Once you have created a log-in to our form, you can save your on-line application at any point and come back to it later.

Once you have saved your on-line application you can open and change the form from any computer.

Help: If you need further assistance/information.

• Firstly read this guidance section. • Secondly refer to the FAQs (these will be updated regularly) http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/grants/esf-programme/documents

• Thirdly if you still have not been able to find an answer then please email us. Your question and our response will be posted on the FAQs page. Please send your questions before 14th October 2016 as we may be unable to answer questions after that date.

Completing your online application form

i. Step one: Create an account login and access the online form

Click on the following link

https://www.grantrequest.com/SID_668/Default.asp?SA=SNA&FID=35068

to create a login and access a new form, (or copy and paste into your internet address bar).

Now you will see this screen, where you create your account and login.

- Click on ‘New Applicant’
- You will be taken to a new page

New Applicant?

An account allows you to access your saved and submitted applications at any time, also allows us to send you a submission confirmation e-mail and notify you if additional information is necessary to process your application.

E-mail

Confirm E-mail

Password (minimum of 5 characters)

Confirm Password

Continue

- Enter your email address. The email address must work as we will be using this to contact you about your application and you need it to access a form that you have already started. • Verify your email address (by typing it again)

• Create a password. It must be at least five letters long - for example - ‘Lychee’.

• Verify password (by typing it again)

• Click on the button marked ‘continue’ and you will move straight into the online form.

You must remember your email address and password as you will need it every time you log into your account.

You can save and close your form, by clicking on ‘save and finish later’ now and at any time and return to the form by accessing your account.

To return to your account (where you can access forms already started) click on: http://www.GrantRequest.com/SID_668

ii. Step two: Complete the online form

This part of the guidance includes details on how to complete the online tender form.

1. Technical help for using the online form

The information below will take you through how to use the online form to answer the questions.

For most of the form you are asked to simply type your answers into a box under the question.

Sometimes you are required to tick a box, select from options or upload a document. The guidance on completing each section is included within the question, upload area or the set template.

You will only be able to write in plain text within the answer boxes, therefore you will not be able to use formatting features (e.g. bolding, underlining, resizing and spacing). You can structure your text by adding line breaks and empty rows. Please bear in mind that scorers will have large amounts of information to process, and that it is in your interest to be as clear and concise as possible.

Mandatory fields

You must answer all questions marked with a purple diamond. If you do not answer these questions you will not be able to submit your application.

Spell check

Where you see a red tick you can click on it to perform a spell check.

Word limit There is a word limit to some questions. Where this is the case the counter will show you how many words are left from the total allowed. Please note that row breaks will not count toward the word count.

**Attachments**

You will be required to upload a number of attachments to your tender form.

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**Before you can attach the documents online you need electronic versions of your documents saved onto your computer.**

Retain the original format and file extension for all the set templates.

If you don’t have electronic copies of other documents to be uploaded (e.g. Constitution) then you can scan the paper copies and save them in a folder on your computer.

The maximum size for all attachments combined is 50MB. Files with .exe .com .vbs or .bat will not upload.

______________________________________________________________________

Uploading a document is similar to attaching a document to an email.

- To do this click on the ‘browse’ button next to the attachment you wish to upload.
- This will take you to documents on your pc/network. Search for the correct folder.
- Select the correct document and click ‘open’.
- Now click on the button ‘upload’.
- **If you do not click ‘upload’ your document will not be uploaded to the form.**
- If you have uploaded the wrong document simply click on ‘remove’.

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2. **How to save, print and return to your form**

**Saving your work**

Once you are into the question part of the form you can save what you’ve done and come back to it at any point by pressing the ‘save and finish later’ button.

______________________________________________________________________

We strongly advise you to save your form as you go along. If you have not saved and your computer crashes you will lose all your work.

______________________________________________________________________

Once you have saved your work you will be taken to this screen (below). Simply click on your proposal and carry on working. To return to your form

Click on the following link.

https://www.GrantRequest.com/SID_668

Log into your account using the email and password you created at the log in stage. You will see the screen above. To go back to your un-submitted application make sure the drop down menu states ‘In Progress Applications’ click onto the link to go back to your form.

If you have submitted your form you can still view it as a link under the ‘Submitted Applications’ in the drop down menu.

To print

Click Save and finish, come back to your form. Click on button ‘printer friendly version’ to print.

Printer Friendly Version

Please note you always need to click ‘save’ before printing your application so that your most up to date version prints out.

Do not send us your printed version; simply use it to check your work. London Councils can only accept online applications (unless in exceptional circumstances in which a group has written in advance (by 12th October 2016) to seek permission).

Additionally if you are a disability led organisation and need additional time to complete the tender process, London Councils need to be informed of this by the 12th October 2016 where they will take a decision. Where an extension is awarded London Councils will do this in writing before the standard submittal deadline. Requests for extensions received after 12th October 2016 will not be considered.

3. Completing the form – questions

The online tender form is divided into five main sections:

1. Introduction;

2. Your organisation;

3. Your project summary;

4. Your project delivery;

5. Declaration.

6. Introduction

The form starts with introductory text covering the assessment of applications. Please read this carefully.

The information below will give you guidance on the information required to answer each question.

Documents you will need:

- Most attachments are compulsory to complete the application. These are marked with the sign; ✶

- Some attachments only apply if your proposed project has delivery partners

2. Your organisation

Give details of the lead organisation applying for the funding on this page of the tender form.

You will also need to upload:

- a signed and dated copy of your constitution or memorandum and articles of association and
- a copy of your public and employer’s liability insurance certificates on this page.

3. Your project summary

Provide general information about your project on this page. This includes the:

- project title;
- specification you are applying for;
- delivery start and end dates;
- project summary;
- delivery partner details (including attachments if applicable);
- contact details for referee.

4. Declaration

This is the final page of the form.

You must select ‘yes’ from the drop down menu if you agree that:

- You have read and understood the information contained in the London Councils Tendering Prospectus; the proposed activity is within the objects of your organisation's constitution;
- London Councils will share the application form and its contents with the participating boroughs and the City of London Corporation;
- this application has the support of your organisation's governing committee/board of trustees/senior management;
- all the information you have supplied is accurate;
- the information you have supplied about the proposed service is a realistic indication of what your organisation could achieve.

**IMPORTANT:**

You must select ‘YES’ for your tender to be assessed.

**Requirements**

We are not permitted to consider any additional information received after the application deadline so please make sure that you have included all the required information and attachments.

If you are aware that submitting an application may give rise to a potential conflict of interest please inform the London Councils. A conflict of interest maybe where you are related to a member or staff officer of London Councils or you have privileged information about London Councils that places you at an unfair advantage over other applicants in the application process.

London Councils is subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. You should be aware that the information you submit may be subject to a request for information from the public and London Councils may be required to provide information to external parties.

**Data protection**

Part or all of the information you give us will be held on computer and used for statistical purposes. It will also be used for the administration of applications and awards. We may provide copies of the information in confidence to individuals or organisations that are helping us assess applications or monitor funding. We may also be required to provide information contained in your application if we receive freedom of information request.

**Finishing the form**

- Now you are at the end of the form you may:

  - You may wish to save and finish later. You may wish to print a copy to proof read it and save it.
  - When you are ready to submit – click on ‘review and submit’
  - If you have left any mandatory fields blank, or submitted the wrong kind of information (for example text in a box that can only accept numbers) a list of errors will appear in red as below. The red warning sign and red text will then appear next to any field that you need to amend.

- **IMPORTANT:** Once you have amended the fields, click on the button marked ‘**update**’ or the changes will not be saved.

- Once you have amended the fields and clicked ‘update’ a final version will appear for you to review.

- Once you are happy click on the button marked ‘**submit**’

- You will be taken to your account page, where you will see the following message. Important information

You must click ‘submit’ to send each application.

You will automatically be sent a confirmation email with a copy of your submitted form.

If you do not receive a confirmation email, you have not submitted your online form correctly.

Please check and submit again.

Once submitted you cannot amend your form but you can view it through your account. Horizontal Principles (Formerly Cross Cutting Themes)

London Councils’ ESF Programme 2014–2020 will focus on the ESF Investment Priority 1:

**Inclusive labour Markets to** Improving the employability and skills of the unemployed and economically inactive people

There are also two Horizontal Principles that must be addressed in each funded project: Sustainable Development and Equal Opportunities and Non-Discrimination.

**Sustainable development**

The Sustainable Development principle of social, economic and environmental organisational responsibilities builds on the approach adopted in the 2007-2013 ESF programme and lessons learned during that programme.

These sustainable developments were defined as developments which provided:

- skills that businesses demand and require – now and in the future (support for the economy by expanding the labour market);
- opportunities to allow everyone to fulfil their potential (support for social justice); and
- environmental protection and enhancement through the delivery of projects (support for the environment).

The objectives for ESF Programme 2014-2020 will be pursued in line with the Sustainable Development principle, including the aim of preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the environment as well as the need to prepare for expected changes to the environment and climate.

London Council’s ESF Borough Employment programme will also support the Social Responsibility aspect of the Principle by achieving progress that recognises the needs of everyone and assists participants towards social inclusion and independent living through employment.

Therefore project providers must have sustainable development governance, policies and implementation plans that explain:

a) their commitment to promoting sustainable development and complying with relevant EU and domestic environmental legislation; and

b) how the commitment will be turned into action at project level.

During the life time of each ESF Borough Employment project, London Councils and GLA will be assessing compliance to these policies and plans.

Projects will be monitored and this will include basic checks such as ensuring that sustainable development policies and implementation plans are in place and that appropriate action is being taken to implement them.

Therefore your application should demonstrate an understanding of the need for good environmental performance and management in keeping with the ethos and achievement of sustainable development in the UK. All projects will be required to consider impact in relation to; energy, water, waste, purchasing and transport. You should also demonstrate how you will integrate relevant aspects of sustainable development into courses you run and/or use the environment as a medium for training delivery. You are required to provide a copy of your sustainable development and/or environmental policy at the application stage. If your organisation doesn’t have a sustainable development policy, please include a statement with your tender explaining that the organisation does not yet have a sustainable development policy. Any organisation selected for London Councils ESF Borough Employment Programme funding that does not yet have a sustainable development policy will be required to implement such a policy by the end of the first year of delivery.

**Equal opportunities and non-discrimination**

London Councils’ ESF Borough Employment Programme will also promote equal opportunities and non-discrimination. All delivery partners will be required to adhere to the principles and processes set out in EU and UK equality legislation.

The principles promote equality into the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of ESF funded activity:

- no exclusion on the grounds of protected characteristics;
- projects are designed to meet the needs of all potential participants;
- services are responsive to the needs of all communities and under-represented groups;
- support is targeted towards under-represented communities where relevant;
- responsiveness to, and inclusiveness of, under-represented groups in delivery and management.

ESF’s 2014-20 programme builds on the lessons learned from the ESF 2007-13 programmes, including the findings of an evaluation of the mainstreaming of gender equality and equal opportunities within the ESF in England in 2010(^\\text{11}). The lessons learnt can be found in research published in 2011 that focussed on the engagement of women in ESF provision(^\\text{12}) and an evidence report published in August 2013 on helping disabled people.

As a result there is good practice guidance in promoting gender equality. It includes a checklist that will be used to help inform core criteria for project selection along with other equality-related criteria.

The principles of equal opportunities is embedded in London Councils' project selection arrangements, grant performance management and monitoring.

In support of the principles, the ESF Borough Employment programme will target groups such as the long term unemployed people, inactive people, lone parents, disabled people, people from ethnic minorities, and older people, and we have set output targets to ensure that we help appropriate numbers of these people. The strategy section makes clear that as the economy improves our focus will increasingly be on those who face multiple disadvantages.

All ESF activities should be accessible to disabled people and responsive to their needs. The investment priorities on access to employment and active inclusion can support activities focused on improving the employability of disabled people and those with health conditions. Active inclusion will help those furthest from employment and who often experience other disadvantages.

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(^{11}) Evaluation of Gender Equality & Equal Opportunities within the European Social Fund by Carol McNaughton Nicholls, Martin Mitchell, Ashley Brown, Nulifer Rahim, Emma Drever and Cheryl Lloyd

(^{12}) Skills Funding Agency: Engaging unemployed women in ESF funded training: research by National Institute of Adult Continuing Education for the Skills Funding Agency. September 2011 People from ethnic minorities should be able to access ESF provision in all investment priorities. Interventions must be tailored to the needs of people from different ethnic minority groups in each locality, and where appropriate targeted on specific groups. There is a strong case for interventions targeted at groups with low employment and high inactivity rates in the access to employment and active inclusion investment priorities, e.g. women of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin, especially in areas with high concentrations of people from ethnic minorities.

Activities in the access to employment, active inclusion and access to lifelong learning investment priorities will respond to the needs of older people. Specific activities will be delivered to help improve the participation of older women, depending on local needs.

**Equality between men and women**

Although female participation in the English labour market has increased, there is still a gender gap in employment of 11.7% with a male employment rate of 81.6% and a female rate of 69.9% (for those aged 20-64). Part of the gap can be attributed to different levels of inactivity in the labour market (26.1% for women and 13.5% for men, aged 20-64 in England). LFS data show that, at a UK level, 25% of inactive women would be interested in working.

The ONS report ‘Women in the Labour Market’ (2013) explained that the low ranking for female employment rates in London and Birmingham was linked to the diverse ethnic population with some women not in work due to looking after families. Looking at the most recent city data, Birmingham has the lowest employment rate for women (55.9% for women aged 16-64). Help should be aimed at inactive women from ethnic minorities in England’s cities, including those with caring responsibilities (child or elder care) and who are multiply disadvantaged.

The extension of the state pension age for women has increased the number of older women in the scope of unemployment. Since 2010 there are more older (over 50) women in work and more looking for work – employment is up 655,000 and unemployment up 14,000 (UK figures). Disadvantaged older women should be targeted for support if they wish to find work (or stay in work).

Some women want to work longer hours. There are 4.8 million females in England who work part-time and 1.5 million males. The majority work part-time because they want to – figures are not available for England but at a UK level, only 743,000 out of 6.07 million women (12.2%) work part-time because they couldn’t find a full-time job.

London Council and ESF funding within this Borough Employment programme will be used to help address these issues. Activities for ESF support should include innovative outreach and holistic support with a vocational focus. Providers must consider activities and support for at least one of these groups:

- Inactive women from ethnic minorities, including those with child or elder care responsibilities, and who are often multiply disadvantaged. Barriers include: childcare; lack of skills or work experience due to starting family at a young age; no opportunity to acquire skills before starting a family; possible cultural / psychological issues.

- Lone parents. Barriers include: inflexible jobs/employers (poor work/life balance), concerns about possible financial instability and lack of skills/recent skills. Examples of activities to be supported include job search skills, vocational training, remedial training and basic skills support.

- Disadvantaged older unemployed women. Barriers include age discrimination, low confidence and elder care responsibilities. Activities to be supported include job search training, skills refresher training and mentoring/ confidence building. • Women who are inactive but who would be interested in working. Barriers include lack of motivation and confidence, lack of skills, outdated skills and difficulties in travelling to work. Activities to be supported include confidence building support, job-search training, job-specific training, work experience and mentoring support.

• Women seeking career advancement and/or progressing from part-time to full-time work, or at least increasing their hours at work. Barriers include seasonal work, sectors with a high concentration of part-time work and age (younger people are more likely to be underemployed). Activities to be supported include upskilling/vocational qualifications and identifying progression routes. (IP 2.1)

Project applicants submitting applications will be required to explain how they will actively promote gender equality through the design and delivery of their projects. For example, a grant application for in-work training should require the applicant organisation to explain how it will ensure that female employees will have access to support, including those who may be working part-time and/or have childcare needs.

Providers targeting disadvantaged people and other groups are also required under the Equality Act 2010 to do so with a corresponding gender focus. This will include actively encouraging more women to take part in the programme, as well as making sure that the type and nature of support offered is appropriate and helps meet the needs of women, including disadvantaged women.

Programme providers will be expected to consider the needs of women in a number of key areas of design and delivery of their services, for example by:

• promoting gender equality throughout their recruitment process; • offering information, advice and guidance; • providing or procuring childcare support where this might be a barrier to participation; • ensuring that the structure and content of the activities delivered are suitable and appropriate for women and men; • ensuring that provision is accessible, flexible and gender-sensitive where necessary.

London Councils will ensure that there is regular monitoring of the participation rates for women and men. Results data will also be monitored and reported to GLA’s European Performance Management Unit (EPMU). Monitoring and reporting on your project

London Councils has to report to the Managing Authority for ESF on the progress of the ESF programme each quarter as part of the procedure for claiming funds. These reports will include data on participants, on project activities and on total expenditure.

Successful applicants will therefore be required to submit reports at the end of each quarter. These reports will enable London Councils to meet the ESF and its own reporting requirements but will also form the basis for monitoring your project progress and achievements. Organisations will be given full advice in the pre-agreement phase on the information that must be recorded and reported and the implications for project procedures and systems.

Employability Performance Rating

ESF funded projects in London are also required to implement the Employability Performance Rating system. The Performance Rating is a comprehensive tool to benchmark the achievements of employability delivered by service providers in London. The rating system awards a rating of between four and zero stars against three key areas: Grant Performance, Quality and Grant Compliance.

| Key Performance Area (KPA) | Weighting of the KPA | Indicators | Weighting of Indicator | |---------------------------|----------------------|------------|-----------------------| | Grant Performance | 60% | • Delivery against grant targets\
| | • Delivery against grant diversity targets | 48%\
| | | 12% | | Quality | 30% | • Conversion Factor\
| | • Self-assessment of quality\
| | • Participant Satisfaction | 12%\
| | | 9%\
| | | 9% | | Grant Compliance | 10% | • Grant compliance and provider pro-activity | 10% |

The Performance Rating is collected from funded projects quarterly with results made public and published biannually on the London Datastore (http://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/lepr-esf-2014-20).

More information regarding the Employability Performance Rating requirements will be provided during the grant agreement process and the reporting systems will be provided to you. However an overview of the requirements can be found here: http://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/lepr-esf-2014-20 Financial information

London Councils ESF programmes pay providers on the basis of unit prices per output and result. In other words, your project will be paid for the delivery of certain pre-specified outputs and results. The budget available for each output and results is fixed and stated in the project specification along with the specification descriptions.

Please note that London Councils expects that your intended project delivery activities are not dependent on other sources of funding. By planning your delivery on the basis of actual costs, your organisation should be able to compare the anticipated budget for delivering the specification with the funding available. Please note that unless otherwise stated in the specification, the funding and, where appropriate, the number of outputs/results represent the maximum funding available.

Please also note that London Councils reserves the right, in agreement with the participating boroughs, to reduce or increase the value of the grant by up to 100% in line with performance.

You will be required to submit a project budget as part of your application. Whilst you will be paid on the basis of grant agreement costs, London Councils’ assessors will be looking at your project budget to check that your application represents value for money, and that all costs included are ESF eligible. Assessors will also be checking to see that you have included enough staff in your budget to deliver the project. In addition, assessors will be checking that you have included adequate provision for participant support measures such as childcare and also for publicity. Your budget is part of your application for funding and will be scored as such.

Staff costs

In this section of the application form you should provide details of all the costs that relate to staffing your project. List the job title of the staff member involved and a short explanation of how the cost was calculated. If there are any other costs relating to staff (e.g. travel, subsistence etc.) you should include them in this section. You should give a brief explanation of how you calculated your costs, to enable assessors to clearly understand what is being applied for.

For example -

| Item | Calculation | Amount | |-----------------------|--------------------------------------------------|---------| | Trainer | 5hrs per month x 9 months x £16 per hr | £720 | | Travel to outreach centre | 1 person x £3 x 2 per wk x 34 weeks | £204 |

Participant costs

In this section of the application form you should provide details of all the costs relating to items that you will provide to participants. For example, childcare, out of pocket travel costs, allowances, refreshments, equipment that participants may need for training (e.g. protective clothing), and so on. All entries should be itemised and calculations shown to explain the costs.

For example:

| Item | Calculation | Amount | |-----------------------|--------------------------------------------------|---------| | Childcare/carer allowance | £50 per wk x 7 people x 34 weeks | £11,900 | | Travel | 10 people x £3 x 3 per wk x 34 weeks | £3,060 | London Councils expects all projects to provide child or dependent care for participants as required in order to enable them to access the programme.

**Other costs**

In this section of the application form you should provide details of any other costs of your project, which do not relate to staff or participants. This will include other direct and indirect costs of the project, for example, small items of equipment, exam fees, publicity materials, postage, photocopying etc. Indirect costs, which are shared organisational costs e.g. rent, utilities, that cannot be connected directly to project activity and which are difficult to attribute to the project may be claimed but must be apportioned appropriately.

**Eligible items of expenditure**

Funding can cover all the running costs of your project as long as they are ESF eligible (please see ESF National Eligibility rules [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-structural-and-investment-funds-programme-guidance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-structural-and-investment-funds-programme-guidance)) and you list them in your application. When budgeting, if some items are used for both this project and your other activities, you should apportion the cost as appropriate.

This funding does not cover capital expenditure; it only covers the costs associated with setting up and running your project. However you are permitted to include the purchase of small items of equipment under the value of £1000 per item which are necessary for the delivery of your project.(^\\text{13})

**Publicity arrangements**

ESF funding carries requirements to adhere to the ESF 2014-20 publicity guidance:

- ensure that potential and actual participants, project partners, and employers, are aware of the source of support;
- publicise project successes; and
- participate as far as is practicable in London and national ESF publicity initiatives, including providing information for public directories of projects.

For example, London Councils and ESF logos should be present on all information and forms given to participants and included in all project publicity produced. Further guidance on publicity will be given to successful applicants.

All publicity materials developed to advertise or promote the project will need to be made available for inspection and approved prior to use.

For more detail on ESF publicity requirements, please visit [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470206/ESIF_Publicity_Requirements_v2_221015.pdf](https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470206/ESIF_Publicity_Requirements_v2_221015.pdf)

(^{13}) The purchase of a computer is understood to be a maximum of £999 for the complete computer. You cannot claim separately for each component part such as the monitor, keyboard etc. The computer is to be a complete set up. Assessment process

Assessment against criteria

All applications submitted under this round will be carefully assessed against the criteria set out in this guidance and their fit with the stated objectives will be judged. The Project’s proposed outputs and value for money will also be assessed e.g. assessors will check your budget to see that you have given due consideration to staff numbers and participant costs and the track record of your organisation will be considered. Funds are limited and not all projects that apply will receive funding. It is therefore important that you demonstrate in your project application how your project meets the criteria laid out in this guidance.

Your project must fit the specification outlined in Section 2. Once the assessor is satisfied that your project and organisation is eligible for support, the rest of your application will be scored by awarding points against each of the assessment questions in the Application form. Instructions on completing the application form are included with each question in the application, and should be read carefully before you complete your answer. Each application will be scored separately by two independent assessors. The application form sets out the points available for each part of each question.

Applications will also be assessed against your project’s ability to promote equality and social inclusion as well as sustainable development (Questions C7 a) and b) – Horizontal Principles in the Application form). Applicants will therefore be required to score 50% of the total scores of these two questions.

References

London Councils intends to reference delivery organisations through its network of Borough grants officers, to verify whether the organisation has experience of working within the Boroughs and with the particular participant group relevant to this application.

If you do not consider that the relevant officer has sufficient knowledge of your organisation to provide this reference, please supply details of an alternative referee in the tender form.

The appraisal panels

Following scoring, an appraisal panel will be convened to assess each project on the criteria outlined above. The panel will comprise senior representatives from London Councils’ Grants Team. Other participants may be invited to join the appraisal panel should the number of applications warrant this. The appraisal panel will consider each project in score order, taking into account the further factors of value for money and the project’s fit within the strategic framework set out under the plan. The appraisal panel will also work to ensure that projects funded under the programme collectively target the whole range of target groups, that there is a good mix of projects and that there is a fair spread of projects geographically across London related to need. The panel will consider the geographic coverage of the provision, and coverage will/could be a deciding factor when funding is awarded.

The recommendations from the appraisal panel will then be presented to an independent external panel which will include: • a representative from a suitable general voluntary sector umbrella organisation; • other Borough Employment organisations; and • representatives of the Intermediate Body for ESF in London (the GLA’s European Programmes Management Unit)

The external panel will take a strategic view of the projects submitted, including their duration, previous experience of the project as well as extent to which they contribute to the Pan London funding. This process will ensure that the projects chosen meet these aims and objectives. It will also help to ensure that there is no duplication of activities.

Following this panel meeting, results will be made available to applicants. All applicants will be provided with their scores, and unsuccessful projects will be given feedback about the reasons for the decision, if requested in writing. This feedback will include a summary of the assessors’ comments to help clarify the reasons for the decision. Unsuccessful applicants will be given the right of appeal on certain conditions.

**Appeals**

The selection process will be as open, objective and fair as possible but because the amount of funding available through London Councils ESF Programme is limited, only a small number of projects can be supported.

Due to the limited funding available, it is likely that a number of good proposals will not be successful. Most disappointed applicants think that their tender deserved a higher score. **No new information can be considered**, but clarification or further explanation of a score or answer will be considered. A complaint based on the fact that the project has been successful in the past will not be investigated further.

If London Councils agrees to consider an appeal the application will be re-scored independently (by people not involved in the original scoring) and re-appraised. This could result in an increase, a decrease or no change in the original total score. If the appeal is successful, London Councils will seek to enter into contract with the provider where possible. Payment arrangements

London Councils provides an advance payment to all funded organisations. Up to 15% of the agreed grant will be paid in advance to providers upon satisfactory completion of funding agreements with London Councils. Payments in the final quarters of delivery will be reduced to take into account the initial first advance payment.

London Councils will then pay providers quarterly in arrears on the basis of contract costs. Projects will be paid for the delivery of pre-specified outputs and results. These are described in Section 2 Project Specifications.

Please note: London Councils is generally unable to recover any Value Added Tax charged. Therefore, the maximum sum stated in the project specifications listed above includes any VAT or other taxes charged. Under the provision of item 5A to group 6 of schedule 9 of the VAT Act 1994, the supply of education or vocational training funded by London Councils, and the supply by the person providing that education or training, of any goods or services essential to that provision, is an exempt supply for VAT purposes. In addition, the maximum sum stated in the project specification should include provision for direct costs to participants such as childcare, travel, subsistence, or participant incentives. Contacts

For queries regarding the application process please contact:

**Ann Britton**, London Councils ESF Performance Manager\
[ann.britton@londoncouncils.gov.uk](mailto:ann.britton@londoncouncils.gov.uk)\
020 7934 9952

**Karen Ferguson**, London Councils ESF Borough Employment Programme Manager\
[karen.ferguson@londoncouncils.gov.uk](mailto:karen.ferguson@londoncouncils.gov.uk)\
020 7934 9954

**Simon Courage**, Head of Community Services and Grants.\
[simon.courage@londoncouncils.gov.uk](mailto:simon.courage@londoncouncils.gov.uk)\
020 7934 9901

[http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/grants/esf-programme](http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/grants/esf-programme)

For other support, including a discussion of your project, please contact:

Support for Bidders

VCS Assist 2.0 is an EU part-funded project supporting voluntary and community sector organisations in London to successfully access the European Social Fund and deliver ESF projects. It succeeds the VCS Assist project which operated during the 2007-2013 ESF Round.

VCS Assist 2.0 project partners, London Voluntary Service Council and the Evelyn Oldfield Unit, will deliver:

- One to one surgeries for organisations intending to apply for or holding ESF funding, providing a range of support from application guidance, complying with ESF requirements and ESF project management

- Workshops focusing on particular skills required for ESF and opportunities

- Forum events, bringing together organisations interested in ESF from across London to share information and provide networking opportunities

- Regular updates on ESF opportunities and progress, including through the vcsassist.org.uk website and monthly e-bulletins.

Further queries about the VCS Assist 2.0 programme should be directed to:

**Steve White**, Policy Officer – Employment and Skills\
[Stevegwhite.eu@gmail.com](mailto:Stevegwhite.eu@gmail.com) ESF Programme Guidance Documents

This section provides the latest information and guidance documents to help you understand how to develop and deliver ESF compliant projects. All providers should acquaint themselves with these guidance documents.

The latest version of the documents below can be found at the following site:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470206/ESIF_Publicity_Requirements_v2_221015.pdf

Background Information on European Social Funds

ESF Operational Programme for England 2014 to 2020

The European Social Fund Operational Programme sets out the strategy and priorities for use of the Fund to support the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

ESIF Strategy

This document outlines; London’s key areas for ESF (and ERDF) investment against its Jobs and Growth Plan priorities.

Project Delivery Information

Eligibility rules for the 2014 to 2020 European Social Fund

European Social Fund programme guidance

European Social Fund underperformance policy

European Social Fund data evidence requirements - eligibility and results guidance

Branding and publicity requirements for the 2014 to 2020 European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund

European Social Fund guidance on document retention

Output and result indicator definitions guidance for the European Social Fund

This prospectus invites applications for ESF grants. It is not a procurement tender, however, providers under the prospectus may procure services and will therefore have to follow ESF procurement guidance:

Procurement law compliance guidance note

Procurement aide memoire for applicants and grant recipients Annex A

Gateway questions:

1. Does your organisation have a Constitution, Memorandum of Association or Articles of Association?
2. Are you organisationally a going concern?
3. Does your organisation have a copy of its most recent signed accounts (audited accounts where required)?
4. Does your organisation have an Equal Opportunities Policy?
5. Does your organisation have a Sustainable Development Policy?
6. Does your organisation have a Health & Safety Policy?
7. Do you commit to taking out the appropriate levels of insurance required to deliver the project?
8. Will you provide the specified services of the project to residents of all eight boroughs covered by the project and detailed in the specification? (Camden, Islington, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Wandsworth, City of Westminster and the City of London)
9. Will your organisation target the minimum number of participants (1,000)?

Failure to provide any of the documents or other evidence specified may result in your application being not pursued.